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Understanding How Much Your Personal Injury Claim is Worth

Being injured because of the negligence of another party can change your life. Besides the physical pain and anguish of your injury, you may also have to deal with expensive medical bills, ongoing treatment like physical therapy, and missed time from work. The financial burden that an injury can put on you and your family can be very intense, which is why if you are injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you have the legal right to seek compensation for your suffering.

While there is no way to determine the exact amount your claim is worth, there are a variety of factors that jurors will look at to decide the value of your claim. Two of the most important factors that shape the value of your claim include the degree of damage you incurred and how well you can prove your injury was the fault of another.

Other factors that determine the value of a personal injury claim

Listed below are some of the most important factors to determine the value of your personal injury claim:

  • Insurance policies. Most insurance companies use a formula to calculate the value of claims. The formula usually involves adding up the total medical expenses incurred (special damages), and adding that dollar amount to the general damages, which can include pain and suffering, mental anguish and other more subjective effects of the injury.
  • Property damage. You can expect the cost of damaged property to be compensated. If the property was destroyed, you should receive the market value for your property.
  • Medical compensation. All hospital and medical bills you incurred to treat the injury will be added to the claim amount. Emergency transportation and treatment such as medication or ongoing physical therapy should also be covered. For this reason, it’s important to save all of your medical bills.
  • Loss of work. If the accident or time you spent recovering caused you to miss work, you’re entitled to recover lost wages. For people who are self-employed, it can be more difficult to recover wages and a lawyer is recommended.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life. When someone suffers very serious or permanent injuries, it can detract from their overall quality and enjoyment of life. In such cases, the courts will consider compensating the victim for the physical and emotional damage that’s led to their loss of enjoyment in life.

When trying to value your claim, it’s important to stay realistic and remember that you must prove your damages to the court. The more evidence you can provide, such as medical bills, records, photos, important documents and journal accounts documenting the effects of your accident, the better your chance of receiving a just settlement.

Contact an experienced Texas personal injury attorney today

At Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers, we’ve been fighting for our clients in all types of personal injury cases for nearly fifty years.Our Texas personal injury lawyers have significant trial experience and understand the complexities of personal injury cases and how to determine the fair value of your damages. If you or a loved one suffered an injury because of another person or party’s negligence, call today at (281) 645-5000 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.